ISRO espionage case: Maldivian women oppose ex-cops’ bail pleas

KOCHI: Maldivian women Fousiya Hassan and Mariyam Rasheeda, who were arrested by the Kerala Police in the 1994 ISRO espionage case, approached the High Court on Friday seeking to implead in the anticipatory bail petitions filed by two former police officers arraigned by the CBI which is probing the conspiracy behind the case.  

The petitioners said they proposed to file a detailed counter-affidavit opposing the bail pleas of former officers S Vijayan and Thampi S Durga Dutt, who have been arraigned by CBI, New Delhi, for allegedly torturing and hatching a conspiracy to frame ISRO scientist Nambi Narayanan in the espionage case. 

Vijayan and Dutt submitted that they acted in the best interest while investigating the case registered against Mariyam and Fousiya Hassan at Vanchiyoor police station in 1994 for indulging in anti-national activities (under Sections 3 and 4 of the Official Secrets Act) and for overstaying in India (under Section 14 of the Foreigners Act). 

The two foreign women had not complained against the police when they were produced before the magistrate court concerned, they said. However, Mariyam and Fousiya, in their application filed through advocate Prasad Gandhi B S, submitted that the former officers’ bail plea had false arguments. They said they will be denied justice if the Vijayan and Dutt are granted bail. The women said there were the victims and were interested in the outcome of the anticipatory bail pleas.